Fresh clashes have broken out between anarchist protesters and police in Greece, while a major labor union staged work stoppages to protest the conservative government's economic policies.

Demonstrators outraged by the recent police shooting of a 15-year-old boy charged at riot forces outside the parliament, throwing fire bombs as police responded with tear gas.

Twelve days after the shooting of Alexis Grigoropoulos, anger has combined with discontent over government policies, which made an estimated 10,000 people join Thursday's demonstrations.

The new wave of violence erupted in the central square, as protesters threw petrol bombs at the parliament building and attempted to burn down Athens' main Christmas tree, BBC reported. The tree has already been replaced once after being torched during previous protests.

Meanwhile all flights to and from Athens airport were halted for several hours as air traffic controllers started a strike demanding a pay rise. The protest was part of an industrial action organised by the civil service trade union, ADEDY.

As the protests have become more political, Conservative Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis rejected calls to step down, despite growing public pressure.

However, earlier this week he acknowledged some of the problems that caused the anger of the Greek people.

"Long-unresolved problems, such as the lack of meritocracy, corruption in everyday life and a sense of social injustice disappoint young people," Karamanlis said in a speech to parliamentary colleagues on Tuesday.

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